Workman and Massi voted Capital One Academic All-District selections

05/01/2014 06:40 PM

05/01/2014 06:41 PM

Workman and Massi voted Capital One Academic All-District selections

05/01/2014 06:41 PM

Combining excellence both on the field and in the classroom, seniors Derrick Workman and Michael Massi were two of just 11 players named to the Capital One Academic All-District 4 first team as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday afternoon.

MACON, Ga. (MERCER ATHLETICS RELEASE) – Combining excellence both on the field and in the classroom, seniors Derrick Workman and Michael Massi were two of just 11 players named to the Capital One Academic All-District 4 first team as announced by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) on Thursday afternoon.

District 4 covers all the Division I schools in the states of Georgia, Florida, Alabama and South Carolina. Workman and Massi were the only players from the Peach State named to the list and joins Jacksonville’s Scott Schaub and Stetson’s Patrick Mazeika as the only players to represent the Atlantic Sun Conference on the list.

To be eligible for Academic All-District teams, student-athletes must be starters or important reserves with at least 3.30 cumulative grade point averages. Candidates also must complete at least one full academic year at the nominating institution and be at least sophomores athletically.

With their selections to the All-District 4 first team, Workman and Massi are now eligible for Academic All-America honors where first, second and third‐team All‐America honorees will be selected later this month.

Workman, who has a perfect 4.00 GPA as a communications major, has now been named a Capital One Academic All-District selection two years in a row and is hoping to repeat his selection as a Capital One Academic All-America first team member which he received last season. In 2014, Workman is hitting .293 with eight doubles, 21 RBI and a .413 on-base percentage. The Acworth, Ga. native is currently the Active Career Leader in the A-Sun Conference with 805 at-bats, 143 runs scored, 263 hits and 99 walks and is just two hits away from breaking the all-time Mercer career record of 264 hits set by Tim Smith in 1980-83.

Massi, who has a 3.67 GPA as an accounting major, has enjoyed a breakout senior campaign for the Bears. Massi currently ranks in the top-10 in the A-Sun Conference in several statistical categories including batting average (6th - .366), on-base percentage (5th - .443), runs scored (T-1st – 45), hits (4th – 64), total bases (4th – 92) and walks (8th – 23). The Powder Springs, Ga. native has also been stellar defensively for Mercer this season as he currently leads the A-Sun Conference with 167 assists and is on pace to break the Mercer single-season assist record of 187 set by Jeff Thompson in 1983.

Workman, Massi and the rest of the Bears are off all of this week due to final exams and won't return to the diamond until May 6, when it travels to Gainesville for a match-up against No. 5 Florida.